My awkward encounters with mistaken identity

Lisa Schroeder is one six reader columnists for The News Tribune.
Drew Perine
News Tribune photo

I’ve been in many first-meet situations where the encounter is slightly awkward.

The reactions I get to having a “white name” – and a German name at that – have been varied, but the intent is still the same. A lot of people are surprised and confused to meet a Korean-American person with the name Lisa Schroeder.

(Disclaimer: I’m changing the circumstances and names in this column to protect the identities and feelings of real people.)

Having the wrong name for my ethnicity was once made very clear to me by a new acquaintance:

Another encounter happened at a job interview where the interviewer took one look at my Asian face and told me point-blank:

“Sorry there is no more job opening,” and then in his white mind kept saying: “for people who misrepresent who they are by having a name that suggests they are a cherubic, blonde, German goddess but then show up being a dark foreigner.”

Or so I imagined in those few seconds after his initial words.

The worst encounter, though, was with someone who should’ve understood me the most out of anyone I’ve met for the first time:

“What’s your name?” asked Jeff Cohen.

Jeff was another Korean adoptee and he was hosting the adoptee party we both were attending.